President Barack Obama will reportedly visit Scranton late next week to tout his "grand bargain" for reinvigorating our middle class with a corporate tax overhaul to fuel another domestic stimulus. It will also increase our deficit. Our growing deficit will be paid for by our new middle class - the working poor.
Don't get me wrong. Republicans rightly slam this "raw deal," but like Obama, are incapable of thinking outside the box.
Instead of liberal or conservative thinking, we need to embrace realistic thinking. Except for the fringes, nobody on the left or right disputes that government should provide for our national security and should take care of those who can't take of themselves. But our ways of delivering those services have become bloated and ineffective.
I've often derided and laughed at Lehigh County's Commissioners, but they are absolutely right to question their role as bagmen for state grants that can't be given directly by the state. They are right to question a federal grant that translates to $220,000 for a 1-BR apartment. It appears that HOME and CDBG funding, which serve laudable goals, need critical examination that neither side is willing to do.
The focus of local government is off, too. Bimbo Bakeries, has operated in Wilson Borough since 1884, just 30 seconds from Route 22. It's moving to nicer digs, thanks to a TIF in Upper Macungie, next to the new Ocean Spray plant. That company got a $3.15 million loan and $182,700 in grants from the state, in addition to the TIF.
The working poor get to pay for it.
They might be able to work for Bimbo, too. For less money.
This rising tide, advocated by both Republican and Democratic politicians and businessmen, is drowning our middle class.
Some bargain.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Wednesday, August 14, 2013
38 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
"should take care of those who can't take of themselves"
ReplyDeleteI would submit that both parties do not define the above the same way. So actually there is a huge difference. As one person told me last year, "now that we have a black President how can 'they' claim there is still racism?"
So while you are giving covering fire for Charlie Dent by banging Obama on this as well as the ACA, at least Obama's ideas are to do something rather than wait out the end of the world.
Maybe they should have another vote on overturning the ACA, that would make about fifty, votes right?
Of course there are major differences, but they are united on their unwillingness to work with each other as well as their utter disregard for those paying the bills. Your unwillingness to abandon ideology and look at things realistically is a big part of the problem. Ther is no grand bargain. It's just an attempt to curry favor with his base and set the stage for the next presidential election. He is kicking the can down the road and growing the deficit. Republicans are no better. Their laissez-faire mentality would wreak havoc on our planet and our economy. We need to start looking at things realistically. You don't spend $242,000 for a 1-BR apartment. You don't allow 95 year old women to starve either.
ReplyDeleteThe Republican credo is the working poor deserve to be working poor. If they didn't both God and their own efforts would make them not working poor.
ReplyDeleteI know you want to be all polite to your Republican-bagger friends but this is their case to the American people.
And this is why people like you are part of the problem. You vilify Republicans, another partisan vilifies Democrats, and you go round and round. In the meantime, you don't notice the single working mother whose car is towed or the departure of good jobs in Easton to lost jobs in Macingie, all made possible by TIFs and state grants.
ReplyDeleteBernie, anon 12:55 is repeating almost verbatim the talking points of the Republicans on Fox. So I guess you can keep blaming both sides because it fits your value system. However, if the ideology fits and is repeated it doesn't make those who point it out a partisan.
ReplyDeleteThe Republican Party is now the Party that believes if you are poor or are making minimum wage, it is your fault and no correction or government intervention is necessary.
Just the facts. If you don't like the facts, then change them as you appear to be doing.
And here we go, round and round and round.
ReplyDeleteThe real hero of the working poor is Jim Gregory. Listen to his new radio show to find out how to fight the injustices of the system run by the MAN!
ReplyDeleteOutstanding post. Rs and Ds fall over themselves redistributing dollars to political donors and voting blocs. Rs talk a good game about less government and the fight against redistribution, then they throw money at hockey and bakeries. Ds teach the poor to surrender pride and sponge while they wear out their kneepads helping rich Rs get tax breaks for the latest development scheme.
ReplyDeleteIn the middle are the working poor, a group that has expanded exponentially as the government's take of GDP has increased. 53% of US adults do not get up and go to work. The 47% who do are pulling an increasingly heavy cart, loaded with the very rich and the very poor.
And politicians and public employees retire in their 50s, many with multiple pensions. Sick.
too bad we just can't start all over.
ReplyDeletewe created the monster and it has turned against us - and all we do is keep feeding it.
we are our own worse enemy.
term limits at all levels would be a good start.
We don't need term limits.
ReplyDeleteWe need to stop voting for people who continue to try to buy our votes with our - and our grandchildren's - money.
The rich are doing the overwhelming amount of the cart pulling. That their schemes get handouts from politicians is not the fault of the rich. They likely got rich by taking advantage of everything that was given, like government largesse. The same is true for the very poor, after they're taught through public service propaganda campaigns to not be proud and to to expect food stamps and other aid with no mention of an end game to the dependency. The truly needy are marginalized by the perception that all the poor are as lazy as the one's encouraged to be so by their government. The system and all it's pensioned employees need the needy as much as the criminal justice system needs non-violent drug offenders to keep their gravy train stoked.
ReplyDelete"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground."
Thomas Jefferson
I don't think Bimbo Bakeries received a TIF from anybody.
ReplyDeleteWest Hills Business Center in Weisenberg Township received a TIF. Ocean Spray, Bimbo Bakeries' neighbor in Upper Macungie, will operate a warehouse in that park.
All that being said, the first step to fixing the problem of diminishing economic independence is to put a sunset on unemployment benefits and having a much more stringent evaluation for disability benefits.
There are lots of people who can work and be productive in society. They choose not to.
Alan Jennings speaks for the poor around these parts.
ReplyDelete12:04 Poster...
ReplyDeleteDo you talk that way at home ?
Your mother must be so proud.
Here is a view from that middle class blue collar no other than me.My family is constantly,badgering me about how cheap I am. My strategy for conserving appears somewhat painful at times. We have basic cable, no flat screens because the tv still works ,no air conditioned house,the hot water is on simmer so they run out if they stay in too long and I intentionally run out of cash 3 days before payday. Now I.m loading my 457 plan I own my vehicles ,paid off the mortgage and my name does not appear in the UPSET SALE lists.Why?, Because I think I'm preparing for my spouse to not be an indigent old lady after I fade away. I want the Government to stay off my tracks for the most part.I say If we spend ,spend and want it all now , don't come around with your hand out at some later date .The hell with that.Somehow TIF and tax brakes help put big bucks in some directors salary ,that's all and Business formula should work on it's own.
ReplyDeletePeople make fun of you, Peter, but you are one of the best people in this world.
ReplyDelete8:57, And the infrastructure and development in that park is being paid for with a TIF. Bimbo benefits, I believe.
ReplyDeleteI think we can all agree, current government behavior HAS fundamentally changed.
ReplyDeleteI'm uneasy, even frightened.
Who owns the industrial park ? Jaindle ?
ReplyDeleteThe Ocean Spray property was owned by David Jaindl.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that Congress' intransigence is doing untold damage to our country, please stop perpetrating the myth that Democrats are equal players in it. Boehner and O'Connell are disproportionately responsible for the nonsense. Boehner has invoked the Hastert rule almost exclusively when bills come up to hold things back in the House and O'Connell made it clear his only agenda from day one with Obama that the goal was to thwart him. That is not leadership.
ReplyDeleteblah, blah, blah
ReplyDeleterepublicans suck
yeah, yeah, what else is new with you all?
just remember, if you like your doctor, you can keep him/her
"McConnell"...my bad
ReplyDeleteanon 11:50, Thank you, that is correct!
ReplyDeleteThe rich people really work hard. Oh yeah. Like old Mitt. Works harder than any dairy farmer I know. Deserves every penny of those tens and tens a' millions in off shore accounts. I'm worried about the guy. Hey,slow down pal.
ReplyDeleteThe working poor are lazy and don't take advantage of shit even when it's staring them in their stupid lazy faces.
AGREED.
To 4;24 -It's not hard we work,it's how hard we work smart.
ReplyDeleteNo insult untended to a farmer what so ever as I was born on a farm ,went back to a milk house after birth ,on the other side of the wall was indeed the cows!My older kid is presently working a farm in the local area as I print the ,HAY in the sunshine.
ReplyDeleteI went to school with rich kids and trust fund babies that were lazy as dirt.
ReplyDeleteHow come every dairy farmer isn't rich? Who works harder then they do? Maybe. Farmers just aren't smart enough.
ReplyDeleteFarmer have a path they are comfortable in , in business they refer to the sales guy as being in his comfort zone. Fact is that today farmers have gps and soil analyses and today they pay 1 million dollars for a columbine and feed per ratio of people many times more that was 100 years ago.They are our life line.
ReplyDeleteI get my concubines for much less than that.
ReplyDeleteWho do you suppose won the "dairy farmer vote" in the last presidential election?
ReplyDeleteI once had a concubine in Columbine who ran a combine. She was a farm girl who knew crops but couldn't keep her calves together - much to my delight.
ReplyDeleteI feel a limerick.
ReplyDeleteWhat is really sad is that the workers in Easton, members of the BCTGM Local 6 must apply for work in Macungie. The union will be in the new facility but due to language that the company demanded, Lower Macungie is looked upon as a new facility and existing workers must reapply. Yes, both sides agreed to this and that sucks. I wonder how many of the 78 workers are near over 50, or near retirement age or perhaps of child bearing age. Those demographics hold a lot of weight with personnel departments because they are an expense the company just doesn't want. If Bimnbo received state grants and low interest loans, then they sure as hell should keep ALL employees from Easton.
ReplyDeleteWhat is really sad is that the workers in Easton, members of the BCTGM Local 6 must apply for work in Macungie. The union will be in the new facility but due to language that the company demanded, Lower Macungie is looked upon as a new facility and existing workers must reapply. Yes, both sides agreed to this and that sucks. I wonder how many of the 78 workers are near over 50, or near retirement age or perhaps of child bearing age. Those demographics hold a lot of weight with personnel departments because they are an expense the company just doesn't want. If Bimnbo received state grants and low interest loans, then they sure as hell should keep ALL employees from Easton.
ReplyDeletesorry for the doublepost
ReplyDeleteCunningham was a part of these negotiations as county Exec. and is familiar with these kinds of deals. He should have demanded that they keep the Easton workers and apparently he didn't.
ReplyDelete